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Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris has raised eyebrows with his assessment of India‘s recent captaincy appointments. In an interview with India Today, Styris suggested that Suryakumar Yadav‘s elevation to the T20I captaincy might be a temporary measure, with Shubman Gill being groomed as the long-term successor.
Shubman Gill: The future captain
Styris is impressed with Gill’s leadership potential, given his role as captain of the IPL franchise Gujarat Titans.
“Look, a vice-captain is just someone who is learning all about leadership and how to run a cricket team. I have no problem with Shubman Gill being vice-captain. He captains in the IPL. He captains a lot of big names, so there’s not an issue with that,” the all-rounder said.
However, the Kiwi legend also cautioned that Gill’s batting needs to mature further before he can shoulder the full weight of captaincy.
“Shubman Gill has a lot of growth yet to do in his own game. We’ve seen some really high-quality performances for India, but it’s now about consistency across those three formats. So it’s almost like letting him learn how to be a captain. We’ve got an eye on you in the future, but at the moment we still just want you to concentrate on your cricket,” Styris pointed out.
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Suryakumar Yadav: A bridge to the future
The veteran Kiwi believes that the appointment of Surya as captain is a strategic move by the Indian team management. Suryakumar’s explosive batting and experience have made him a valuable asset to the team, and his captaincy role is seen as a logical progression. But, according to Styris, it’s a stop-gap arrangement.
“I think he’s a short-term option. I don’t think Gambhir has a natural captain among the players that he has right now. So, he’s buying himself time as to who will be the next long-term captain,” the cricketer-turned-commentator stated.
A calculated gamble
The former New Zealand all-rounder believes that the Indian selectors have played their cards wisely.
“You know, someone like Gill I think could do the job for 10 years for India, but he’s not quite ready right now, so I think it was a really smart decision to bring in someone with a bit more experience. Someone like Suryakumar make him captain. If he does a decent enough job, then he might be the captain at the next T20 World Cup. And then after that, you can look at Gill or any of the other potential options around. But yeah, I think it’s a really clever decision,” he concluded.
Styris’ comments have sparked debate among cricket fans and experts alike. While some believe that Suryakumar is a capable leader who can guide the team to success, others feel that Gill’s potential is being overlooked.
